12.As a wildlife-conservation biologist studying climate change,I want to understand the evolving environment through the eyes of large animals.My work-usually in cold,remote places-involves finding animals,and ways to eat,sleep and be warm.I might suffer,but I get insights that others cannot into what animals are doing.
For about 15 years I've been interested in musk oxen(麝香牛).This picture was taken on Wrangel Island,off the northeast coast of Russia,when I was studying how musk oxen react to polar bears.Because polar ice is melting more polar bears are hunting on land,and they are known to have killed musk oxen.These herd animals typically don't flee from enemies such as grizzly bears.They tend to form groups instead,and male male oxen have killed grizzlies.Would they try to kill polar bears too?
To find out,I dressed as a polar bear,pulling a bear head on and placing a cloth over a range finder,camera and data books.I was cold and nervous.I didn't want to be killed by a charging musk ox-or by anything else.If some oxen charged and made an attack,I'd throw off my costume and stand up straight,as I'm doing here;so far,that had stopped them.I'd also encountered a female polar bear with new born babies,but she'd left me alone.This picture is from the end of a session,and I'd lived another day.Whew!
I learnt that musk oxen are more likely to flee from polar bears than from grizzlies.But during this trip to Russia,I was arrested-over a date error on my permits.In court,the only word I understood was 'CIA'.I was let go,but banned from returning for three years,so I'm now studying the huemul,an endangered species of deer that lives in the shadows of glaciers at the tip of South America.As glaciers melt,how will huemul populations respond?
(1)How do musk oxen protect themselves from grizzly bears?
A.By fleeing to polar ice quickly.
B.By getting together to fight back.
C.By charging at grizzlies one by one.
D.By drawing support from polar bears.
(2)Why did the author dress as a polar bear?
A.To better understand musk oxen.
B.To familiarize himself with its habitat.
C.To better protect his camera equipment.
D.To keep warm in extreme natural conditions.
(3)Why did the author have to stop his research in Russia?
A.He was banned for am illegal permit.
B.His research there was not approved.
C.some wildlife biologists had accused him
D.He would study the huemul in south America
(4)Which of the following is a suiable title for the text?
A.An Awkward Biologist
B.The Changeable Climate
C.Would Musk Oxen Be Killed?
D.Who Wants To Be a Polar Bear?